Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:Has anyone considered that the Green Beret was punished to protect him and other US military members? It's possible that Afghan commanders don't like getting their asses kicked by uninvited foreigners and are inclined to administer their own justice in response. That could easily be in the form of Martland and a humvee-full of his colleagues getting blown up by a "Taliban" IED.

The bottom line is that our leadership has put winning the war ahead of protecting children from rape. It is not that far removed from putting the killing of a militant ahead of the lives of children when a missile is launched from a drone. Lot's innocent people are harmed in wars. That's one of the best reasons to avoid them.

And Jeff finds a way to, once again, exonerate Obama.

If our men were actually armed on base, those three men would have had a fighting chance. They were left sitting ducks DESPITE their pleas.

The punishment - a dishonorable discharge - goes way farther than it needs to.

Was Obama's support of Berghdal also for the protection of our men?

I'm sorry to tell you, but yes. Let's not leave him over there, let's bring him over here and deal with him here.

jsteele wrote:Has anyone considered that the Green Beret was punished to protect him and other US military members? It's possible that Afghan commanders don't like getting their asses kicked by uninvited foreigners and are inclined to administer their own justice in response. That could easily be in the form of Martland and a humvee-full of his colleagues getting blown up by a "Taliban" IED.

The bottom line is that our leadership has put winning the war ahead of protecting children from rape. It is not that far removed from putting the killing of a militant ahead of the lives of children when a missile is launched from a drone. Lot's innocent people are harmed in wars. That's one of the best reasons to avoid them.

And Jeff finds a way to, once again, exonerate Obama.

If our men were actually armed on base, those three men would have had a fighting chance. They were left sitting ducks DESPITE their pleas.

The punishment - a dishonorable discharge - goes way farther than it needs to.

Was Obama's support of Berghdal also for the protection of our men?

Has anyone considered that the Green Beret was punished to protect him and other US military members? It's possible that Afghan commanders don't like getting their asses kicked by uninvited foreigners and are inclined to administer their own justice in response. That could easily be in the form of Martland and a humvee-full of his colleagues getting blown up by a "Taliban" IED.

The bottom line is that our leadership has put winning the war ahead of protecting children from rape. It is not that far removed from putting the killing of a militant ahead of the lives of children when a missile is launched from a drone. Lot's innocent people are harmed in wars. That's one of the best reasons to avoid them.

Anonymous wrote:So you expected him to adopt the child? Spirit him out of the country? He did what he could - he should 100% not be punished .

You're arguing with a Bernie Sanders type. Cast your vote wisely.

Anonymous wrote:He was NOT punished for standing up for the kid.

He was punished for assault.

One wrong does not justify another wrong.

Really, is that so? So where is the punishment for those in office turning the other way re: immigration law? I mean, if we are going to apply the law evenly, I want to see some heads rolling.

It's always good to see people so morally bankrupt, that they argue in favor not punishing those who commit atrocities. Please do not have children. God forbid something happens and they realize their daddy or mommy would not stand up for them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why did conservatives only become outraged about the practice of bacha bazi after a Green Beret was discharged for assaulting an Afghan? It's not like this has been a well-hidden secret. There was a Frontline documentary broadcast on PBS back in 2010

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/dancingboys/

and a WaPo article in 2012.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/afganistans-dancing-boys-are-invisible-victims/2012/04/04/gIQAyreSwS_story.html

Where was the GOP on all this? Aren't criminal human rights violations at least deserving of a Congressional investigation and hearing?

Here's the problem. You think we are just outraged at the practice of child rape - and newly so. What we are outraged at is the idea that a soldier would do the right thing and try and defend the child and the mother and be punished for it.

He didn't defend anyone as far as I can see. He took a failed stab at vigilante justice. But this commander is still around and he's not.

Yep. Pretty sad, is it not? Thanks Obama, for the strong leadership and your support of our troops.

He was NOT punished for standing up for the kid.

He was punished for assault.

One wrong does not justify another wrong.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why did conservatives only become outraged about the practice of bacha bazi after a Green Beret was discharged for assaulting an Afghan? It's not like this has been a well-hidden secret. There was a Frontline documentary broadcast on PBS back in 2010

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/dancingboys/

and a WaPo article in 2012.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/afganistans-dancing-boys-are-invisible-victims/2012/04/04/gIQAyreSwS_story.html

Where was the GOP on all this? Aren't criminal human rights violations at least deserving of a Congressional investigation and hearing?

I am not a conservative. I am outraged because the situation here is that someone tried to stop this and was PUNISHED. We usually applaud people for saving children from child molestors. This is also the first time I am hearing that the US military allows this on their bases.

The main difference is that we always think America is on the side of being good, we send our soldiers to be sacrificed in this hellhole. And now we find out that the US military is morally bankrupt and put our soldiers in dispiriting situations that not only sap their morale, but also punishes the villagers we aim to "help".

I know there is evil in the world, I don't expect the US, supposed bearer of democracy, to condone it.

The military can only be as good as its commander-in-chief...

So you expected him to adopt the child? Spirit him out of the country? He did what he could - he should 100% not be punished .

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why did conservatives only become outraged about the practice of bacha bazi after a Green Beret was discharged for assaulting an Afghan? It's not like this has been a well-hidden secret. There was a Frontline documentary broadcast on PBS back in 2010

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/dancingboys/

and a WaPo article in 2012.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/afganistans-dancing-boys-are-invisible-victims/2012/04/04/gIQAyreSwS_story.html

Where was the GOP on all this? Aren't criminal human rights violations at least deserving of a Congressional investigation and hearing?

Here's the problem. You think we are just outraged at the practice of child rape - and newly so. What we are outraged at is the idea that a soldier would do the right thing and try and defend the child and the mother and be punished for it.

He didn't defend anyone as far as I can see. He took a failed stab at vigilante justice. But this commander is still around and he's not.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why did conservatives only become outraged about the practice of bacha bazi after a Green Beret was discharged for assaulting an Afghan? It's not like this has been a well-hidden secret. There was a Frontline documentary broadcast on PBS back in 2010

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/dancingboys/

and a WaPo article in 2012.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/afganistans-dancing-boys-are-invisible-victims/2012/04/04/gIQAyreSwS_story.html

Where was the GOP on all this? Aren't criminal human rights violations at least deserving of a Congressional investigation and hearing?

Here's the problem. You think we are just outraged at the practice of child rape - and newly so. What we are outraged at is the idea that a soldier would do the right thing and try and defend the child and the mother and be punished for it.

You are still demonstrating mastery of the obvious but a complete lack of understanding of the bigger picture.

Look, there's nobody here who disagrees that child rape is disgusting and abhorrent. Not one single poster.

BUT again, you still haven't addressed the question of why suddenly now. Unless you can show for all of us articles from Breitbart or some other conservative rag complaining about it from 2007 or prior (and again it was known, it was no secret, going back to the Reagan era) then YES it is newly so. The FACT is, the GOP wasn't anywhere on this.

There's also nobody here who disagrees that the soldier had good intentions.

BUT as for "the right thing" there are a lot of "right things" that the guy could have done. Engaging in brutal, lawless vigilante justice was not one of the right things to do. Two wrongs do not make a right. Answering violence with more violence is not the answer.

Anonymous wrote:Why did conservatives only become outraged about the practice of bacha bazi after a Green Beret was discharged for assaulting an Afghan? It's not like this has been a well-hidden secret. There was a Frontline documentary broadcast on PBS back in 2010

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/dancingboys/

and a WaPo article in 2012.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/afganistans-dancing-boys-are-invisible-victims/2012/04/04/gIQAyreSwS_story.html

Where was the GOP on all this? Aren't criminal human rights violations at least deserving of a Congressional investigation and hearing?

Here's the problem. You think we are just outraged at the practice of child rape - and newly so. What we are outraged at is the idea that a soldier would do the right thing and try and defend the child and the mother and be punished for it.

you know. Because all the commentators at the NYtimes and washington post are rightwingers.

Keep telling yourself everyone that is horrified at what is taking place must be a right winger and conservative.

Anonymous wrote:Gee, one would think that conservative alarms would have gone off when we backed Karzai, knowing his brother was a heroin kingpin.

The aversion against child rape runs deep within American psyches. You find tv shows glamorizing the drug trade (breaking bad anyone?). You won't find anybody in the US glamorizing paedophilia rings. Not going to happen.